One Stop Info Page

• There is No Appeal Allowed
• There is No Jury Trial Allowed
• Red Light Cameras Violate the Fifth Amendment of US Constitution
• Red Light Cameras Violate the Fourteenth Amendment of US Constitution
• Who is funding the Opposing PAC
• City Purchases Advertising with Public Funds
• City Holds Back Open Records of City Council Members
• FaceBook Page >2700 members as of Oct. 22, 2009
• Safety Test
• Red Light Cameras associated with higher levels of crashes
• RAW Crash Data from City of College Station, TX
  

Public Funds for Political Advertising? You decide…

It appears the City of College Station and city manager Glen Brown has violated the election laws of the State of Texas. Mr. Brown is using taxpayer money to fund political advertising to keep red light cameras in College Station. A complaint filed in Austin October 7, 2009 alleges Mr. Brown is using $20,000.00 in public funds to produce, and send out to the voters, material that falsely and misleadingly states red light cameras have reduced traffic accidents. The false and misleading information is sufficiently substantial and important enough to influence a voter in the November 3, 2009 election.  Conversations, emails obtained as a result of “Freedom of Information” requests indicate the city manager and members of the city council know the facts to be misleading and false.  Knowingly using city money to misrepresent facts for the purpose of influencing an election is a violation of election code.

Glenn Brown Texas Ethics Commission Complaint

Oct. 5, 2009 Campaign Finance Reports

And the money flows from both camps in the battle over the rights of citizens to have a jury trial, the right to appeal and the right to equal protection under the law.

This is a copy of both 30 day reports that were turned in today Oct. 5, 2009 to the City Of College Station, Tx.

Take Back Your City  Oct 5 Report – I am proud of our work on the reporting.  We worked very closely with the Texas Ethics Commission and had more than ten phone conferences with Commission Attorneys in an effort to produce a flawless report.  If anyone finds anything that they believe is incorrect or may be in error; Take Back Your City asks that you contact Jim Ash at 281-224-1892 in College Station, TX and we will work to resolve the issue today.  We aspire to comply with every applicable rule and or law.

KeepCollegeStationSafe Oct 5 Report – I have no comment on the oppositions report.  If you have expertise in this type of reporting and would like to make comments please post your comments below.

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

When I read the City Manger’s response to my letter (linked just below this post),  I can not help but think of the Queen’s response when seeing the play that Hamlet set up to make her squirm.  “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Shakespear wrote.

While Mr. Brown protests the City’s commitment to “our valued and respected citizens” he then turns and asserts that the citizens on the Red Light Camera Petition Committee are making a “ludicrous” argument in defending the initiative petition.  Please forgive my zeal in defending the work of hundreds of citizens embodied in the petition.

Please Mr. Brown, check your notes:

• This is the same City that bought off on the sales pitch from the red light camera companies, that this would bring revenue to the city at no cost.  Read the ATS web page it may help you recall the pitch.
• This is the same City that on May 28, 2009 voted an eleventh hour twenty year extension to its Red Light Camera contract on the eve of pending State law that would outlaw photo enforcement in Texas.  The City’s express intention as disclosed by internal memos was to circumvent the proposed state law.
• This is the same City that has issued more that 22,000 Red Light Camera Tickets at $75.00 each.  To date that amounts to $1,650,000 in top-line City billings.
• This is the same City where the Mayor has gone on local radio and stated that the City does not have to take the petition question to the polls in November.
• This is the same City that charges its valued and respected citizens with the act of running a red light and will not allow the accused due process, a jury trial, or an appeal.

The adjective “ludicrous” is a description that neither our actions nor the City’s recent history supports.

Below is Glenn Brown’s response to my letter of Aug 14th, 2009.

Glenn Brown's Response

Open Letter to Glenn Brown

The Red Light Camera Committee was troubled by the manner in which the City of College Station is treating the Red Light Camera Petition signed by more than 1,200 College Station voters.  So I sent a letter to Glenn Brown the City Manager.

Open Letter to Glenn Brown

Page Two

Petition Format

I have had several contacts wanting a copy of the petition wording so it can be used again in other cities.  In the links below you will find the two petitions that we used in the College Station process.  One (the blue) form is the actual petition for that is turned into the city; the maroon form is one that we built up to gather signatures of people that did not live in College Station.

Having a form for both residents and non-residents was key in completing the petition signature drive in the shortest amount of time.  Red light cameras are a very unpopular method of enforcement and many residents of our sister city Bryan liked the option of expressing their dissatisfaction with system.  We have sent a copy of all the petition forms to Fred Brown our representative in the Texas House.

I will close with a word of caution.  Our petition is written very clearly, but governments have been known to worm around with the wording.  Our petition will be submitted to the city council on August 13.  We should know soon after that if the city moves to resist the wording in any way.

college station

state petition

Verification of Petition Complete!

In posting the message just before lunch on July 22 the City Secretary completed the next step in the process of getting a vote on Red Light Cameras.  I have asked for clarification of the August 17 date for city council meeting.  Council normally meets on the second and fourth Thursdays and August 17 is a Monday.

—–Original Message—–
From: Connie Hooks [mailto:CHOOKS@cstx.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 11:48 AM
To: Jim Ash
Cc: Ben White; Celia Hernandez; Connie Hooks; David Neeley; Faye Scott; Glenn Brown; Harvey Cargill; Hayden Migl; Kathy Merrill; Lucy Taylor; Merribeth Kahlich; Tanya McNutt; Troy Rother; Tasha Velasco; Wayne Larson
Subject: Verification of Petition Complete

The staff completed the review process of the petition and confirmed that 924 registered voters signed the petition.  This exceeds the required 25% of total number of voters in May election, or 846.  The next step is submit results to the City Council at the next regular meeting on August 17.

Connie
Connie Hooks
City Secretary
P.O. Box 9960
College Station, Texas  77842
979-764-3541 phone
979-764-6377 fax
chooks@cstx.gov

College Station- Home of Texas A&M University.